Chairs or pedestals for supporting rebar in spaced relationship to a surface over which poured concrete is formed are well known in the prior art. Some comprise no more than small concrete blocks provided with wire to secure the blocks to the rebar. Others are fabricated of bent wire. More recently, a number have been made of polymeric material. The devices of U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,682,461; 4,756,641; and 5,555,693 are typical of the later type.
While polymeric chairs have the advantage that they are relatively inexpensive and do not corrode, they have been problematic insofar as their strength and stability is concerned. Also, they have met with resistance in the trade because of the difficulty of securing the chairs to the rebar being supported. The later problem has been exacerbated by the provision of internal structure between the legs of the chairs, which structure has restricted free access between the legs. Such restricted access makes it difficult to extend ties through the chairs and also impedes stackability of the chairs during storage and transport.
Another problem with prior art polymeric chairs is that their relatively complicated construction has made it difficult and expensive to manufacture the chairs by injection molding.